Share Your Story
For nearly two centuries, Longwood’s campus has been the setting for innumerable stories: Journeys inspired, opportunities unlocked and lifelong friendships formed. Those stories have been experienced among friends, reminisced about between spouses and retold among mentors and mentees-turned-colleagues, years after they were formed.
Oral History Project
The Longwood Office of Alumni and Career Success is spearheading an ambitious oral history project that will capture hundreds of those stories and share them in a new book to be published in 2027. Join us as we pull together the most memorable stories our alumni can share and preserve the countless moments that Lancers past remember from their Longwood experience.
This opportunity is possible thanks to a partnership between the Office of Alumni and Career Success and Publishing Concepts, Inc. (PCI). In addition to collecting stories, PCI will assist the Office of Alumni and Career Success in collecting updated biographical information from alumni to ensure we have the best information available to stay connected with Lancers across the globe.
How to Share Your Story
Alumni will receive a postcard and email from PCI with more information on how to share their story. Stories will be collected via a phone call with a trained member of the PCI team.
If you do not receive a postcard or email, you may call in your response via this telephone number: (800) 735-5993.
What to Look For
PCI has begun sending postcards and emails to our alumni. Simply follow the steps to update your information and schedule a time to share your story with a member of their staff.
Postcard Example
Email Example
Frequently Asked Questions
I received an email, a postcard or a phone call asking for my personal information and a story about my experience at Longwood. Tell me more about the project.
Longwood has partnered with PCI (also known as Publishing Concepts, Inc.) to produce an Oral History publication for the University. PCI is a family-owned business based in Dallas, TX, that has published directories for educational institutions, fraternities, sororities, and military organizations across the nation for over 100 years. This project allows us to hear about your personal experiences from your time at Longwood and how Longwood has helped shape your life since then. And, while the PCI team has you on the phone, they want to make sure your contact information is up to date.
Does Longwood benefit from this at all?
Yes, in a few different ways:
- Updated information allows us to communicate with and engage alumni effectively
- Sharing and collecting stories preserves the history of our beloved university for generations to come
- Wearing apparel shows support and love for our university and helps to build name and brand recognition across and beyond Virginia
How do I know my information will only be used for Oral History Project purposes?
PCI is committed to protecting your information. The names, addresses and information provided to PCI for the publication of the Oral History Project will be held confidential by PCI, except to the extent that they are utilized in, or in the preparation of, the Oral History Project and except as required by court order or law. Upon completion of the project, PCI will redact PII (Personal Identifiable Information) from any and all electronic files that we have supplied or were produced by PCI in connection with the production of the Oral History Project.
I would like to verify or update my information and share a story. How may I do this?
If you have received a postcard or an email with a telephone number, you can call the number to speak with a dedicated representative for the Oral History Project. The representative will verify some basic data elements from the alumni information we have on file for you, make any necessary updates, and then ask you to share your story about your time at Longwood. Your story will be recorded, and the sound clip will be provided to the University at the conclusion of the project.
If you have received an email with an embedded link, you may go to the online site to review your information and submit a story.
Can I choose what information prints in the publication?
The only information that is included in the publication is your name and class year, along with your story and photo. No contact information is printed. When you call to update your contact information, it will only be used to update your alumni record for Longwood. You may revoke consent for your story and/or photo to appear at any time before the end of the updating phase (May 2027) by contacting PCI’s customer service help desk at 1-800-982-1590 or via email at customerservice@publishingconcepts.com.
I updated my information, but I need some more time to think about what experiences to share.
You can call back anytime before May 5, 2027, to share your story.
I shared a story, and the representative said I could send a photo. How do I do this?
You will receive an email with a link to upload one photo (black-and-white or color) along with a caption.
Can anyone purchase a book?
The Longwood University Oral History publication is available for sale only to Longwood alumni and friends.
I ordered a book and/or package over the phone and would like to cancel my order. How do I do this?
Contact PCI’s customer service help desk at 1-800-982-1590, and they will take care of this for you.